Endocrine and Electrolyte Balances During Periovulatory Period in Cycling Mares
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animals Article Endocrine and Electrolyte Balances during Periovulatory Period in Cycling Mares Katiuska Satué 1,* , Esterina Fazio 2 , Ana Muñoz 3 and Pietro Medica 2 1 Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, CEU-Cardenal Herrera University, 46115 Valencia, Spain 2 Department of Veterinary Sciences, Veterinary Physiology Unit, Polo Universitario Annunziata, Viale Palatucci 13, 98168 Messina, Italy; [email protected] (E.F.); [email protected] (P.M.) 3 Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, 14014 Córdoba, Spain; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +96-136-900066020 Simple Summary: This study provides new evidence on the physiological mechanisms involved in the electrolyte balance during periovulatory period in cycling mares. The interrelationships among adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol (CORT), aldosterone (ALD) and electrolytes (sodium—Na+, potassium—K+ and chloride—Cl−) were evaluated. The simultaneous increase in ACTH, CORT and ALD toward the time of ovulation could suggest the involvement of the adrenocortical pituitary axis in the ovulatory mechanisms, contributing at the same time to the maintenance of electrolyte homeostasis. Abstract: In cycling females, the periovulatory period is characterized by stimulation of the hy- pothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. The aim of present study was to analyze the pattern and interrelationships among adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol (CORT), aldosterone (ALD) and electrolytes (sodium—Na+, potassium—K+ and chloride—Cl−) during periovulatory period in cycling mares. Venous blood samples were obtained daily from a total of 23 Purebred Spanish broodmares, aged 7.09 ± 2.5 years, from day −5 to day +5 of estrous cycle, considering day 0, the Citation: Satué, K.; Fazio, E.; day of ovulation. Plasma ACTH was measured by a fluorescent immunoassay kit, serum CORT and Muñoz, A.; Medica, P. Endocrine + + − and Electrolyte Balances during ALD by means of a competitive ELISA immunoassay, and plasma Na ,K and Cl were quantified Periovulatory Period in Cycling by an analyzer with selective electrodes for the three ions. ACTH showed higher concentrations at Mares. Animals 2021, 11, 520. day 0 compared to days −5 to −1 and +1 to +3 (p < 0.05). CORT showed higher concentrations at day https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020520 0 compared to days −5 to −2 and +1 to +5 (p < 0.05). ALD showed higher concentrations at day 0 compared to days −5 to −2 (p < 0.05) and +2 (p < 0.05). Na+ and Cl− showed higher concentrations Academic Editor: Jim McFarlane at day 0, compared to day −5 and +5. K+ showed lower concentrations at day 0 compared to day +1 Received: 15 December 2020 (p < 0.05). The significant correlations obtained between ACTH and CORT (r = 0.20) and between Accepted: 11 February 2021 ACTH and ALD (r = 0.32) suggest that although ACTH may have an effect both on CORT and Published: 17 February 2021 ALD, there are other very important determinants that could be considered. Hence, it is possible to presume that the pituitary adrenocortical response and ALD may be involved in the ovulatory Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral mechanisms without a direct relation with electrolyte pattern. with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affil- Keywords: ACTH; aldosterone; cortisol; cycling mare; electrolytes iations. 1. Introduction Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. In cycling mares, studies on the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis response This article is an open access article to stress under different physiological conditions such, transport [1], and gynecological distributed under the terms and manipulations for artificial insemination [2], pregnancy [3], weaning [4], nutritional im- conditions of the Creative Commons balances [5], exercise [6], pain [7], and social stress [8] have been widely documented. Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// Stress, inducing an increase of adrenocorticotropic pituitary hormone (ACTH) and corti- creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ sol (CORT) responses, exerts negative effects on reproduction; in fact, it suppresses the 4.0/). release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), interferencing with the pulsatility and Animals 2021, 11, 520. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020520 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/animals Animals 2021, 11, 520 2 of 12 the peak of luteinizing hormone (LH) and changing the secretion of oestradiol-17β (E2) with a decrease of the sexual behavior, ovulation, and fertility [9]. The baseline ACTH concentrations in cyclic mares in non-stressful conditions are unknown, and the scarce evidence on CORT is contradictory, such as an increase along luteal [10,11] and ovulatory periods [12,13]. On the other hand, the activation of renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) during periovulatory period in mare [14] and its progressive increases, as soon as the significant positive correlations between estrogens 17-β (E2) and ALD [15] and between aldosterone (ALD) and follicle diameter, have been documented [16]. However, the possible relationships among ACTH, CORT, and ALD and electrolytes (sodium—Na+, potassium— K+ and chloride—Cl−) in the mare in ovulatory period have not been clearly established. ALD exerts differential effects in relation to estrous cycle, since it is related to fol- liculogenesis, oocyte maturation, ovulation, development of the corpus luteum (CL), and steroidogenesis [17]. On the one hand, ALD increases during luteal period in women with high but not low sodium balance [18] and in mares [14,16] according to the P4 secretion [18]. On the other hand, the ovulatory peak of ALD in women is related to the stimulatory effect of estrogen on the synthesis of angiotensinogen (AOGEN) [19], with modifications of Na+ concentrations at the level of the dense macula, and alterations in local sympathetic activity [20]. In mares, Kinslow et al. [21] showed large increases in the urinary excretion of Na+ in samples during the period from day −2 to + 4 days of estrus, compared to the rest of the cycle. P4 is generally considered to be a “Na+—losing” steroid or an “ALD antagonist” [21]. Since ACTH and CORT are factors related with ALD synthesis [5,9,22], and ALD with electrolyte equilibrium, possible interactions between pituitary ACTH, adrenal steroids and electrolytes during estrous cycle could be hypothesized. The aim of present study was to analyse the pattern and interrelationships among ACTH, CORT, ALD, and electrolytes: Na+,K+ and Cl− during periovulatory period in cycling mares. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Animals All methods and procedures used in this study were in compliance with the EU directive (2010/63/EU) on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes. The Animal Ethics Committee for the Care and Use of Animals of the CEU-Cardenal Herrera University (Valencia, Spain) concluded that the proposed study did not need ethical approval, as it did not qualify as an animal experiment under Spanish law. This study was carried out in spring, during the months of March and April in 2019. The study was carried out in 23 healthy mares, aged 7.09 ± 2.5 years. The inclusion criteria for the animals were: (1) absence of reproductive diseases in the clinical examination; (2) absence of inflammatory processes or infections that had required treatment or hospitalization during the month prior to the onset of the study; (3) to be vaccinated and dewormed correctly and (4) to be younger than 15-years old, to have no conformation defects that affect the perineum and vulva and lack of previous history of reproductive diseases that affect fertility. All animals were subjected to the same conditions of management, feeding, and reproductive control. The mares were housed in individual stalls and received a diet composed of 4 kg/day of mixed grains and 3 kg/day of commercial horse concentrate, divided into two intakes in the morning and evening; an aliquot of fresh cut grass was added once a day. Water was provided ad libitum and the animals had access to a mineral block during the study period. 2.2. Reproductive Monitoring of the Mares Follicular development was checked by rectal ultrasound examination (Ultrasound: Sonosite 180 Plus; SonoSite Inc., Bothell, WA, USA) of mares when they show signs of estrus until the time of ovulation. After ovulation, daily echographic exams were also performed to confirm the development and maturation of the CL, up to 5 days after Animals 2021, 11, 520 3 of 12 ovulation. Hormonal treatments in order to synchronize reproductive cycles were not used and, therefore, only natural cycles were included in the current research. 2.3. Venous Blood Sampling Because the objective of the current study was to establish the relationships among ACTH, CORT and ALD during the periovulatory period, blood samples were taken every day, from day −5 to day +5 of ovulation. To reduce the influence of daily rhythms on the release of hormones, all blood samples were collected between 9.00 and 10.30 am, always by the same operator, with the mares at rest and before they received the grain ration. Blood samples were collected from jugular vein using 30 cc syringes, and were divided into three fractions of similar volumes and immediately transferred to: (a) polypropylene tube containing EDTA (1 mg/mL of blood), (b) lithium heparin (12–30 UI/mL) and (c) glass tubes without anticoagulant (Tapval®, Barcelona, Spain). Samples were centrifuged at 3000× g during 10 min at 4 ◦C, plasma and serum was harvested and stored at −20 ◦C until analysis. 2.4. Measurements of Hormone Concentrations Plasma ACTH concentrations (pg/mL) were measured with a commercial competitive streptavidin-biotin immunoenzymatic technique ACTH Fluorescent Immunoassay Kit (FEK-001-01; Phoenix Pharmaceutical Inc., Burlingame, CA, USA) validated for equine serum samples. The detection limit of the technic was of 9.6 pg/mL. The intra and inter- assay coefficients of variation (CVs) were <10% and <15%, respectively.